T20 World Cup 2021: "England haven't got their death bowling consistently right" - Nasser Hussain reacts to semi-final loss
Former England captain Nasser Hussain lamented the national team's death bowling, an area he thinks they have struggled in consistently. Nasser Hussain's statements come after England leaked runs heavily in the slog overs against New Zealand in the 2021 World T20 semi-final.
England, defending 167 in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, remained in the game until the 16th over. New Zealand needed 57 off the last four overs and Chris Jordan conceded 23 in the 17th, tilting the scales in the opposition's favor. The Kiwis eventually won the crucial game by five wickets and progressed to the final.
Gutted doesn’t cut it, amazing effort @englandcricket ❤️
Unbelievable chase @blackcaps, good luck on Sunday 👊
#T20WorldCup #ENGvNZ https://t.co/GS2gtmLzXn
Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Nasser Hussain believes England's semi-final against New Zealand panned out the same way as the 2016 World T20 final.
"Just as England's death bowling cost them in the final of the last Twenty20 World Cup when Ben Stokes went for four sixes so it did again here on Wednesday night. It is the one aspect of their game this England team have not consistently got right. Everything had gone perfectly for England in this semi-final until the 17th over of New Zealand's reply but Chris Jordan will be the first to admit he just got it wrong."
While Hussain admitted Chris Jordan was mediocre, he feels David Willey could've offered the variety to England's attack with Tymal Mills injured. Hussain added:
"There is an old truism in cricket that you become a better player when you are not in the side but how Tymal Mills was missed in those closing overs. Equally, it is easy to say with hindsight that David Willey should have played once Jason Roy had been ruled out of the semi-final to give England another bowling option and a left-arm angle in the absence of Mills."
Although Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten knock of 72 was critical, Kiwi all-rounder James Neesham turned the tide for his team. Neesham's 11-ball 27, containing three sixes, entirely shifted the momentum towards New Zealand.
"Jordan's death bowling has not been quite as good in the last year or so" - Nasser Hussain on England's bowling
Although Hussain believes Jordan hasn't quite proved his mettle as a death bowler recently, he didn't pin the blame entirely on the pacer. Hussian stated it just wasn't England's day with the ball.
"I have been saying Jordan's death bowling has not been quite as good in the last year or so and that is maybe because Eoin Morgan has gone away from the plan of bowling yorkers. But it's not easy and anyone can go for big runs if they are fractionally off. This is not a case of Jordan costing England the World Cup and I hope people don't interpret it that way. Someone has to put their hand up and bowl at the most difficult times when the opposition are coming at you. It just didn't work out for him on the night."
The Kiwis' World T20 final opponents will be decided on Thursday when Australia and Pakistan face off in the second semi-final in Dubai.